beggar-my-neighbour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low frequency in everyday speech, higher in specialized contexts like economics, politics, or game theory)Formal, journalistic, academic; often metaphorical.
Quick answer
What does “beggar-my-neighbour” mean?
A competitive situation where one person's gain comes directly at another person's expense, usually leading to a mutually destructive outcome.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A competitive situation where one person's gain comes directly at another person's expense, usually leading to a mutually destructive outcome.
Describes policies, strategies, or games where participants try to gain advantage by harming others, ultimately weakening the whole system or leaving all participants worse off. The term originates from a card game of the same name where the goal is to win all the cards from opponents.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term, but the spelling differs. UK retains the '-our' ending in 'neighbour'. US spells it 'beggar-my-neighbor'. The concept is equally understood in both.
Connotations
Strongly negative in both, implying short-sighted, unethical, or counterproductive competition.
Frequency
Slightly more common in UK political and economic journalism, but remains a low-frequency term in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “beggar-my-neighbour” in a Sentence
[beggar-my-neighbour] + noun (attributive use)a [beggar-my-neighbour] approach to + noun phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “beggar-my-neighbour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A - not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - not used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A - not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The government was accused of pursuing beggar-my-neighbour protectionist policies.
- The industry fell into a beggar-my-neighbour cycle of layoffs and price cuts.
American English
- Analysts warned against a beggar-my-neighbor trade war.
- It was a classic beggar-my-neighbor strategy that hurt both companies.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Engaging in beggar-my-neighbour price wars can erode profits for the entire industry."
Academic
"The study critiques mercantilist theory as a form of beggar-my-neighbour economics."
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used to describe siblings fighting over toys: "Stop this beggar-my-neighbour squabbling and share!"
Technical
"In game theory, the prisoner's dilemma can result in a beggar-my-neighbour outcome without communication."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “beggar-my-neighbour”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “beggar-my-neighbour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beggar-my-neighbour”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'They beggar-my-neighboured each other' – incorrect).
- Using it predictively (e.g., 'Their policy was beggar-my-neighbour' – less common, attributive use is standard).
- Confusing it with simply 'competitive' – it specifically implies mutual destruction.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is almost exclusively used as a compound adjective (attributively) before a noun like 'policy' or 'strategy'. The related verb is simply 'to beggar' (to impoverish).
While most common in economics and political commentary, it can be applied metaphorically to any competitive scenario where attempts to gain advantage ultimately harm all participants, such as in environmental issues or workplace rivalry.
It originates from the name of a simple, competitive card game for two players (known as 'Beggar-My-Neighbour' in the UK and often 'Beat Your Neighbor Out of Doors' in the US), where the goal is to win all of the opponent's cards.
They are related. 'Zero-sum' describes a situation where one's gain equals another's loss. 'Beggar-my-neighbour' is a negative, often short-sighted *type* of zero-sum competition that tends to escalate and leave all parties worse off than when they started.
A competitive situation where one person's gain comes directly at another person's expense, usually leading to a mutually destructive outcome.
Beggar-my-neighbour is usually formal, journalistic, academic; often metaphorical. in register.
Beggar-my-neighbour: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbeɡ.ə maɪ ˈneɪ.bə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbeɡ.ɚ maɪ ˈneɪ.bɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Race to the bottom (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the card game: you BEGGAR (impoverish) MY NEIGHBOUR to win, but if everyone plays that way, you all end up with nothing.
Conceptual Metaphor
ECONOMIC/POLITICAL COMPETITION IS WARFARE (where the 'war' leaves no victors, only casualties).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'beggar-my-neighbour' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?